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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25092574">Christopher Diaz's 4 "Simple" Steps to Surviving Prom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/almost_alisha/pseuds/almost_alisha'>almost_alisha</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Prom 2028 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, FIRST KISS BITCHES, Finally, M/M, Prom, everybody is at least mentioned, from chris' pov, tw: anxiety, tw: self doubt, very brief description of anxiety attack but neither character knows that that's what it is</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:20:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,363</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25092574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/almost_alisha/pseuds/almost_alisha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The 4 "simple" (not so simple) steps to how Chris survived prom</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Athena Grant/Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Christopher Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Harry Grant/Original Female Character, Henrietta "Hen" Wilson/Karen Wilson, Maddie Buckley &amp; Christopher Diaz, Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han, May Grant (9-1-1 TV)/Original Male Character, pre-relationship Christopher Diaz/Denny Wilson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Prom 2028 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812361</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>135</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Christopher Diaz's 4 "Simple" Steps to Surviving Prom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>LAST PART WOO! this took like 5 hours to write. just fyi I based chris' mobility and his growth with and without his crutches on my friend matt I promise I did not pull it out of my ass</p>
<p>ALSO i never specified but i picture denny and harry as seniors, chris as a junior</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Step 1</strong>: Take a shower because today’s the day!</p>
<p>    Chris wakes up to his Papa knocking on his door, “Come on, Chris! You have to start getting ready!”</p>
<p>     What time is it? 6 AM. Why is he getting up so early? Oh. <em>Oh, right</em>. It’s May 27th, and prom is tonight. With a grunt, Chris drags himself up and makes his way to the bathroom. He can feel the rat's nest that formed on his head while he slept, and he does NOT want to deal with that, at least until it’s washed and conditioned. He’s got about a half an hour before he needs to be in the kitchen. Papa wants him to eat and be<em> “more of a human, less of a bear”</em> when they leave for his haircut appointment. </p>
<p>    Looking back longingly at his bed, Chris shuts the door and turns on the water. He might as well get ready. The day will go on, with or without him. He’d prefer it go with him.</p>
<p><em>Step 2</em>: Eat, talk to Papa, second guess everything.</p>
<p>    It’s a minute away from 6:30 when Chris makes his way into the kitchen, slow, but steady, without the aid of his crutches. He’s getting more comfortable walking without them, but he still really only does it at home, because, even though his dad stands at 6”, his mom was only 5’4, so he’s stuck somewhere in the middle at 5’6, but he’s all legs and he can’t quite control them all of the time, so he loses his balance every once in a while. If he fell in public, Chris would <em>die</em> of embarrassment. That, and the one time he did walk without his crutches during their family’s weekly dinner at the Grant-Nash home, Aunt Maddie almost started crying, and Chris does not deal with crying well. So, yeah, he sticks to walking without them when it’s just him, Dad, and Papa around. He’s still not sure what to do about prom, though. He doesn’t want to attract unnecessary attention to himself, or Denny, but he doesn’t want to risk the embarrassment of face planting in front of 200+ of his classmates. </p>
<p>    He plops into the chair across from Papa with a sigh. Thinking is too hard for it being so early, but he knows from the look that he’s getting, that Papa is going to make him talk. A small part of him wishes that his Dad was here, but he stomps that down. Papa has to go into work around 1, and he’ll see both of his dads when Karen takes him and Denny to get pictures at the station before they actually make it to prom, but Papa had traded his early shift to make sure that he could be there for Chris. Dad is great, but he’s not good at the whole confrontation thing, believe it or not. Papa can and will argue over a piece of hair out of place, while Dad would just say to buzz it. Chris shudders at the memory of his temporary buzz cut from back when he was twelve. Ever since then, Dad is <em>not</em> allowed to go to hair appointments without Papa.</p>
<p>    “Chris?” Papa snaps his fingers to get his attention, causing him to jump and he squeezes his shoulder in apology, before placing a plate of chocolate chip pancakes in front of him, and Chris smiles a little. Papa must have sensed the nervous energy radiating from him, because chocolate chip pancakes are the breakfast that says<em> “I’ve waited long enough, it’s time to talk”</em> for the entire Diaz-Buckley family unit. And, sure enough, “What’s on your mind?”</p>
<p>    Chris would normally brush the question off, say he’s fine, because he’s a teenager and that’s what they do, but he stops himself. He takes a second to really look at his Papa, and he remembers. He remembers all the times that he tried to hide how he felt from his Dad, and he remembers Papa nipping that in the bud as soon as he caught on. It’s just Papa, he reminds himself. He won’t judge, he won’t laugh. He’ll just be there to offer hugs, love and pancakes. So, Chris starts with what has been at the back of his mind since Denny first asked him in March. “What should I do about my crutches?”</p>
<p>    For a fraction of a second, that look passes across his Papa’s eyes. That one where he wants to take away everything that Chris struggles with, all of his pain, and he realizes that he can’t. It’s gone in a second, replaced with the kind of determination that only rivals Dad’s. </p>
<p>    “That’s up to you.”</p>
<p>    Chris rolls his eyes, but Papa’s hand goes up, telling him not to interrupt. “Bud, I can’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you to do what you’re comfortable with. If you want to take them and leave them in Karen’s car, do it. If you don’t want to take them at all, don’t. If you want to take them, but try to go without them later, do that. No one will be bothered. It’s up to you.”</p>
<p>    Chris nods, and it’s just that easy. Well, maybe not. He’s still afraid to embarrass Denny, or even his dads, but that’s just something he’ll have to deal with as the day goes on. They continue the rest of their breakfast in silence, and Chris is breathing a little bit easier.</p>
<p><strong>Step 3</strong>: Realize you have a crush and your father is a psychic, change your earrings because you’re basic and want to match your clothes, go to Aunt Maddie’s to get ready. </p>
<p>    Chris thinks that he might have a crush. Yes, Denny is his best friend, but so is <em>Harry</em>, and he didn’t send <em>Harry</em> a picture when he was done at the barber shop, and he definitely didn’t blush when <em>Harry</em> responded that he looks amazing and a whole bunch of other sweet stuff that turned his brain to mush. So, yes, he is a hypocrite. Denny Wilson is his best friend, but Chris also, kind of, maybe wants to make his eyes go wide and his heart race.</p>
<p>    With that thought in mind, he groans and hides his face in his hands. He suddenly understands what the butterflies he feels around his friend, that he’s felt for a long time, really are. <em>Why now?!</em> He’d hide in his hood, but he thinks that Papa would positively kill him for messing up his hair (his curls took forever to cooperate, so they were at the barber shop a lot longer than planned), so he doesn’t. From his place in the driver’s seat, Papa laughs. “Finally realized it, huh?”</p>
<p>   <em> And, what -</em> “How long have you known?” <em>He just found out, Papa, keep him in the loop next time, damn.</em></p>
<p>    “Chris, everything changed from Denny and Harry to Denny this and Denny that so fast when you were fourteen, that if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you weren’t even friends with Harry anymore.”</p>
<p>    Chris can feel the blush heating up his cheeks, but he ignores it, in favor of rambling. “Papa, what do I do? I kissed his cheek, what if I grossed him out? Oh, God, does he know? Does he like me, too? No, why would he, I -”</p>
<p>    Papa makes the next turn sharply, effectively stopping Chris’ self doubt in its tracks, resulting in silence until they’re in the driveway of their house, and Papa throws the jeep into park before looking Chris in the eye. “Christopher Ramon Buckley-Diaz,” <em>Ooh, we’re getting serious,</em> “You listen to me, right now. Denny is not embarrassed to be going to prom with you. He worked up the courage to ask permission to ask you. He asked your dad and I, in front of everyone in that station, and he didn’t give a damn about what anyone said. He is not grossed out by you, Chris, in fact, I’m sure he was <em>walking on air</em> when you kissed his cheek. It’s not my place to decide his feelings, but, please remember that he is your best friend. He’s the same Denny that you grew up with. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Even if he’s not your boyfriend at the end of the night, he’s still your best friend and you’re still going to have a great time. Now, go change your earrings. Your aunt is calling me for the third time in five minutes, we’ve got to go!”</p>
<p>    He’s too stunned to do anything other than what he’s told, going as fast as he can into the house and into his room, swapping out his plain studs for his purple and black pairs. He got his ears pierced at thirteen, at that time feeling like that they were the only thing he had control over, and it was the best choice he ever made. He loves them. They just add another layer to who he is. He doesn’t take the time to think about what just went through his mind, until he’s sitting in Aunt Maddie’s kitchen, dressed except for his jacket, allowing her to style his hair how she thinks would fit him best, smiling at Phoebe and Kevin each time they come into the kitchen to show him something else they made at school this week. He doesn’t say anything until she’s finished, and he’s dressed, waiting for Karen and Denny to pick them and the kids up to ride to the station together. Papa dropped him off about an hour ago, before he left for his shift, and, in this moment, Chris has never been more grateful for his family. When Aunt Maddie hugs him, tells him that he has grown into a wonderful young man, CP is not the first thing to come to mind. </p>
<p>“Thank you,” however, is.<br/> <br/><strong>Step 4</strong>: “Wow, you look good.” Pictures!</p>
<p>    Chris nearly jumps out of his skin at the sound of the doorbell, but Aunt Maddie’s on her feet before he can move, knowing that her six-year-old has a habit of throwing open the door without worry of who’s on the other side. He almost panics, but he remembers Papa’s words. It’s just <em>Denny</em>. <em>Denny</em>, who has been his best friend for ten years. There’s nothing to be afraid of. He gets to his feet, surprising himself at how steady his legs are, and vaguely hears Aunt Maddie letting the Wilsons in, and <em>there he is.</em></p>
<p>    “Wow, you look good,” Chris blurts, his blush making Denny smile, and that does it for Chris. He does look good; while Chris is shorter than both of his fathers, Denny towers over both of his mothers at 6”, the same height as Dad. He got his hair cut as well, the skin fade tapered around the shape of his head highlights his jawline and cheekbones. The silver in his hair is all gone, and he can barely stop himself from running his hands through the soft, healthy curls on the top of his head. He can see that there is some kind of gel holding his hair in place, and he doesn’t want to mess it up. Still, it’s a challenge, and one that he’s pretty sure that he’ll fail at by the end of the night. Denny’s shirt is a slightly different shade of purple than Chris’, his jacket is slung over one shoulder, and his pants are the perfect length, so that he doesn’t look like his legs are too long for his body. Chris notices that, instead of dress shoes, Denny’s wearing black boots, and he doesn’t know how to explain the relief that washes over him at the realization. Something as little as a pair of boots <em>(Not actually little, Denny wears size 12 in boots because he’s got some big ass feet)</em> just solidifies to Chris that, yes, they’re going to prom together, and yes, their relationship <em>might</em> change tonight, but Denny is still the same person, and he’s Chris’ best friend above all else.</p>
<p>    “Thank you. You look great, too,” Denny’s voice is soft, barely a whisper, but, to Chris, it’s like his voice is inside his head, as loud as his racing thoughts, and his cheeks grow even redder, if that’s possible. “I got you a flower.”</p>
<p>    “It’s called a <em>boutonniere</em>, Denny,” Karen’s voice rings out from the hallway, causing Chris to laugh at the exasperated look on his friend's face.</p>
<p>    “I got you a <em>boutonniere</em>, Chris,” Denny reaches out, offering the flower to him and he notices two things. First, it matches Denny’s shirt, while the one he’s wearing matches Chris’. The second thing he notices, though, is that Denny’s hands are shaking. It seems that he’s just as nervous as Chris himself. The thought makes Chris smile, albeit a little shyly, and offer his breast pocket for Denny to safely tuck the flower into it. “There, <em>perfect</em>.”</p>
<p>    The two of them maintain eye contact, the silence not unbearable, until Nia walks in with Phoebe in tow. “Mom says to stop being cute, it’s time to go.”</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>    As a kid, walking into firehouse 118 was always a surreal experience for Chris. Everything from the trucks, to the bunks, to the glass encased locker room that he still can’t quite make sense of.<em> (Seriously, what is up with that?)</em> Back then, he would have given anything to work here one day. Now, though, now he knows that he can’t. At least, not in the usual way, but that’s a story for another day. </p>
<p>    Chris feels the eyes of everyone they pass on their group of seven, and he can’t blame them. Most of them, he’s never seen before, so he knows that they have no idea who he is. Their stares do not bother him, or don’t have time to, though, because then they’re noticed by the people that they’re here for. “WOO! GET A LOAD OF THOSE TWO!” A cry is heard immediately after, and Chris knows that Hen had to have slapped Uncle Chim upside his head, and he can’t stop himself from laughing. At least he’s not the only one.</p>
<p>    Harry is the one to reach them first, having arrived prior with his own date, Kayla, and falls into step on Denny’s other side, deciding not to disturb their linked arms, and Chris is unsure of when that even happened, but he’s not arguing with the fuzzy feeling in his stomach. “You guys ready?” Chris doesn’t look over, only nodding, but he catches a glimpse of the dopey smile on Denny’s face when he nods along as well. It looks like he’s getting ready to say something, but his voice is overpowered by his mother’s, yelling, “Alright, let go, we’ve got to get some pictures done!”</p>
<p>    He sees Bobby and Athena, he sees May off to the side with her husband, Devon, and their new baby, Leslie, he sees Harry grab Kayla’s hand, he sees Michael standing off to the side with his partner, Derek the doctor, he sees Hen sliding next to Karen with Nia, he sees Aunt Maddie and Uncle Chim herding Phoebe and Kevin to the designated picture area <em>(They just pushed a bunch of tables together to clear the floor.)</em>, and he sees his dads, all here to see their boys off to prom. Chris feels a little less nervous, knowing that all of these people are here, in his corner. He’s not as afraid of the attention that he’s sure to get at prom. He’s got his family, and he’s got Denny. Speaking of, he feels a hand slide into his. “Ready?”</p>
<p>    Chris nods, and, together, they join their family for an hour of pictures, mercifully uninterrupted by the bell going off.</p>
<p>Step 4: Grand March, and Prom Time!</p>
<p>    The boys are #79 in the march, but they’re at #76 when Chris realizes that he forgot his crutches in Karen’s car. <em>Forgot</em>, not left. Before he even realizes it, he’s breathing so fast he’s unable to catch his breath and all he can hear is white noise. He knows that he can do it without them, but he was going to have them with him, just in case. He liked the idea of having the reassurance that they were there if he needed them. He doesn’t want to fall in front of all of those people, in the crowd and on TV, and now that that’s all he can think about, he <em>will</em>. He can’t embarrass Denny. He can’t do it, he can’t, he <em>can’t</em> - “CHRIS!” Startled, he looks at Denny. Denny, who’s gripping his shoulders, and looks as concerned as Chris wishes he wouldn’t, but, then again, he did just hyperventilate like a baby, so it’s really his fault.</p>
<p>    “You’re not a baby,” Denny rolls his eyes, and Chris rolls his right back, cracking a smile despite the situation. The older boy sighs, wrapping Chris up in his arms, an unexpected, yet welcome, action and Chris sinks into him without complaint. He feels Denny place a kiss on top of his head,<em> and that’s new,</em> before he speaks again, “Do you trust me?”</p>
<p>    He doesn’t even have to think. “Completely.”</p>
<p>    When they’re names are called, they walk across the stage confidently, with Denny supporting Chris everytime he feels like he might fall, and he’s sure that his fathers are crying from wherever they’re watching.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>    Chris finds himself looking at Denny’s outstretched hand like he’s insane. Even though he’s been doing well, walking with and without Denny, he doesn’t have his crutches. Even if he did, though, he doesn’t know how to dance. He hasn’t gotten that far. But then, Denny smiles that stupid, cute smile again and Chris is almost a goner. “Do you trust me?”<em> Chris is a goner</em>.</p>
<p>    Chris sighs, grabbing Denny’s hand and pulling himself to his feet, letting Denny lead him to the dance floor, away from the safety and stability of the table and chairs. He’s okay, though. He knows Denny would never let him fall. Still, he tells Denny, “I don’t know how to dance.”</p>
<p>    Denny says nothing, just stops and puts his hands on Chris’ hips, prompting him to put his upon Denny’s shoulders. Chris almost questions him, because he feels like an uncoordinated giraffe, but then Denny helps him stand on top of his feet and begins to lead them in a swaying motion. They’re <em>dancing</em>. Chris is thankful for the six inches that Denny has on him, even while standing on his feet, because he can hide his face in his shoulder comfortably. He’s only ever danced with his dads and some of his aunts at the Buckley-Diaz wedding, but that was almost six years ago. He’s never danced quite like this before, and he’s never, <em>ever</em>, felt like this before.</p>
<p>    He doesn’t know what prompts him to, but he slowly raises his head to meet Denny’s gaze, and the swaying slowly comes to a stop. This close, Chris can see the freckles that Denny always complains about. He can see the scar from the nose ring that he took out when he admitted that he was going through a phase, and could absolutely <em>not</em> deal with the feel of the ring in his nose. He can see that his left eyebrow is thinner than his right one, and he can see his eyes. His beautiful eyes, that Chris would be 100% okay with getting lost in during every hour of every day. He barely registers what he’s doing, barely registers Denny’s hands sliding to wrap around his waist, before there are lips on his. Now, Chris has kissed people before. Three people, to be exact, because he’s a good boy, but they all felt gross and too fast. With Denny, he feels safe. He feels like he can do anything, as long as Denny’s by his side. The kiss is soft, and barely lasts a few seconds, but it’s the best kiss Chris has ever experienced in his seventeen years of life. Pulling away with the warmest feeling in his chest, he realizes something.</p>
<p>    Denny <em>did</em> let him fall, but he <em>caught</em> him before he hit the ground.<br/>  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>and we are finally done. thank you for reading. this series is the most that I have written in the past five years. im not sure if im ready to part with it yet ha. if you enjoyed it, great. if not then, im sorry.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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